Access to Justice for Animals in Europe: Towards an ‘Aarhus Convention’ for Animals?
When: Tue, 01.07.2025 9:30 AM until 6:00 PM
Where: Max-Planck-Institut für ausländisches und internationales Privatrecht, Mittelweg 187, 20148 Hamburg, Ernst-Rabel-Saal
How can animals’ interests be meaningfully represented in legal systems across Europe? What would it take to ensure access to justice for animals at the regional level?
The research group AJA (Access to Justice for Animals) is pleased to announce the upcoming conference titled „Access to Justice for Animals in Europe: Towards an ‘Aarhus Convention’ for Animals?“. Speakers include:
Niels Fuglsang (Member of the European Parliament, President of the EU Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals)
Prof. Thomas Schomerus (Professor of Public Law at the University Lüneburg, Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee)
Alice di Concetto (The European Institute for Animal Law & Policy)
Prof. Dr. Ingrid Visseren-Hamakers (Professor of Environmental Governance, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen)
Dr. James Yeates (CEO, World Federation for Animals)
Dr. Dr. h.c. Antoine Goetschel (Founder and President, Global Animal Law GAL Association & former Animal Prosecutor in Criminal Law matters for Animals for the Canton of Zurich)
The international conference explores both the current landscape and the future potential for a European legal instrument that ensures animals meaningful access to justice. Divided into two main sessions—’Contextualisation: the Status Quo’ and ‘Prospects for Reform: Feasibility of an ‘Aarhus Convention for Animals’ ’—the programme features four thematic roundtables and a presentation on the Aarhus Convention as a possible model.
Participants will discuss practical challenges, comparative legal frameworks, institutional pathways, and stakeholder perspectives, with a view to assessing the viability of a European initiative akin to the Aarhus Convention—but for animals.
This conference is open to all with an interest in animal law, environmental law, access to justice, and institutional reform.
The conference will be held as a hybrid event, i.e. you are welcome to participate either in person at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, Mittelweg 187, 20148 Hamburg, or via Zoom.